Loose leaf binder



0t.25, 1938. AG, LQDTTER 2,134,231

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Dec. 9, 1957 2 Sheets-Shed 1 Oct. 25, 1938. A LO TE 2,134,231

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Dec. 9, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ado/p27 G Luff?!" Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES LOOSE LEAF BINDER v I Adolph G. Lotter, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Stationers Loose Leaf Company, Milwaukee,

Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin ApplicationDecember 9, 1937, Serial No. 178,957

13 Claims.

This invention relates to binders and refers particularly to loose leaf binders of the .large record book type.

Binders of this type generally comprise a back to which the covers are hingedly connected, and binder posts which pass through the body of leaves and are detachably connected either with the covers or the back. Generally, pintle bars slidably carried by the back or the covers with pintles engageable in loops or openings in the ends of the binder posts are employed for detachably connecting the posts :with the back and covers.

Disengagement of the .p'intle bars from the binder, posts is usually effected by a manually applied pull on the bar, whereas reengagement is preferably eifected automatically upon closure-of the cover. Several-different schemes of automatically reengaging a pintle bar with the binder posts have been proposed in the past, but these past expedients left room for improvement.

It is therefore an object of this invention to' provide an improved manner of automatically -reengaging the pintle bars-with the binder posts upon closure of the covers.

More specifically it is an object of this *inven- 'tion to provide means for automatically moving the pintle bars of a binder of the character described to their closed post engaging vpositions, which is so designed that the entire mechanism is small andcompact and so constructed as to require no change in design or construction of the binder.

Another object of this invention is to provide T of a binder of the character described by:positively moving the same by motion generated by the closure of the cover as distinguished from past constructions in which closure of the cover .merely released a spring which in turn actuated the pintlebar.

A further object of this invention is to mount the motion generating elements by which the motion produced by closure of the cover is translated into sliding movement of'the pintle bar, so that they are carried by and moved with the cover and are at all times in operative relation to the pintle bar so as to insure against the possibility of misalignment when the binder isopen.

With the above and other objects in view'which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, com bination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, 'and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being undermeans for automatically closing the pintle bar stood that such changes 'in the precise embodiment-of the hereindisclos'ed invention m'ay be made as come withinthescopeoi the'lclaims,

The 'accompanying drawings illustrate two complete examples of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordancewith the best modes so far devised for the practical application of the principlesthereof, and' in which:

1 Figure 1 is a plan view of a portionof a record book type loose leaf binder 'showingfthe same 1?) open with one cover thrown? back, and with the binder back tipped rearwardly;

"Figure 2 is'an'enlarged view of part of the binder, with the body of leaves and the lower cover viewed fia'twise, and with the upper edge '15 or theback disengaged from the'binde'r posts and the' upper cover thrown' back; v

Figure 3 is a sectional view longitudinally through the back---of the binder-approximately {on the plane of the line 3-3 in Figure 2, but 20 with the pintle bar closed and the cover in, its :c'losed po'sition, parts being broken 'away and in "section; y

Figu're l is-a'cross sectionalvi'ew taken through Figur'e lon'the plane of thelin'e' 4-4;'- I I Figure 5 is a cross sectional view'taken through Figure2-on the planeo'f the line 5 5;"

Figure 6 is a plan view 's'imil'ant'o' Figure 2, showing a slightly modified embodiment of the invention;

Figure -7 is a "longitudinal sectional view through Figure 6 substantially on the planeof the line 1-4, but with thecover swung up to its closed position; and

Figure8 is aperspe'ctive view of the-component parts of "the fpintle bar actuating mechanism 's'hown separated, e

7 Referring now; particularly to the accompanying drawings inwhich like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 5 designates the back of 'a'binder of the character-described, to which covers 6 arehingedly connected as at'l. The body of leave s 8 is held in place by a plurality of binder posts 9 detachably connected at their opposite ends to the back, in a manner now about to be desc'ribed.

"Along each sideedge of the back isa fiat tube 10 in which a pintle bar ll 'is slidably mounted. In line witheach of the binder posts, the outer edges of the tubes l0 have openings 12 for the reception of the adjacent ends of the binder postsgand likewise adjacent to'ea'ch binder post, "the ipintle bars have their outer edges cut away as 'at l3 "to accommodate-the ends of the binder posts, Each pintlebarhas the requisite number of pintles M to pass through holes in the ends of the binder posts. Hence, attachment of the binder posts with the back is effected by sliding the pintle bars to their closed post engaging positions after the post ends have been properly engaged in the openings l2.

To facilitate manual actuation of the pintle bars to and from their closed positions, each has one end thereof projecting from the tube and provided with a grip l5.-

While the pintle bars may be manually moved to and from their closed binder post engaging positions, it is desirable to provide means for automatically moving them to closed positions upon closure of the covers. For this purpose an automatic actuating mechanism designated generally by the letter A connects each pintle bar with its associated cover. I These actuating mechanisms are duplicates. Consequently, a description of one will suffice for both.

Each actuating mechanism comprises a pusher member IS in the form of a block with pins I'I projecting from the opposite ends thereof. These 7 pins are slidably receivedin the outer edge portion, of the tube In in axial alignment with the pintles M where they are held by the pintle bar engaging the block, as best shown in Figure 3.

The block of the pusher member l6 projects through an opening I8 in the outer edge of the tube ID and has a knuckle member 19 pivotally connected thereto by a hinge. pin 29. A torsion spring 2| coiled about the pin; 20yieldingly urges the knuckle member into a position of alignment with the block-like pusher member IS, in which position the springpropelled. movement of the knuckle member is limited by the engagement of lugs 22 carried thereby with the side-of the block I6.

Pivotally connected to the knuckle member is a lever 23. The outer end portion of this lever underlies a metal plate 24 which forms part of the hinge connection between the cover and the binder back and is slidably and pivotally connected with the plate by a pin 25 fixed to the plate and engaging ina slot 26 in the outer end of the lever. The body of the cover is cut away as at 21 to accommodate the lever and permit the same to move in a manner to be described during opening and closing of the cover.

The plate 24 has an opening 28 to expose part of the lever and accommodate the knuckle member l9 and that portion of the lever attached thereto. One edge 29 0f this opening constitutes a fixed cover carried abutment which engages a roller 30 fixed to the lever to impart motionthereto during closure of the binder for the purpose of shifting the pusher member in a direction to slide the pintle bar to its closed post engaging position, It is to be observed that this edge 29 of the opening 28is inclined, the purpose of which will behereinafter described. 7 I

It is also to be observed that the lever is at all times in an inclined position with respect to a plane normal to the axis along which motion of the pusher member is constrained.

The mannerin which closing movement of the cover imparts the necessary motion to the lever to effect the desired actuation of the pintle bar is best understood from reference to Figure 4.

As indicated in constructionlines in this figure,

a fixed point-on the cover and specifically any point on the edge 29 of the opening 28 swings in an arc ab as the cover is closed. At the same time, the periphery of'theroller 30 would describe .a compound arc. if permitte Th s follows from the fact that the roller is carried by the lever 23 which swings first about the axis of the hinge pin 20 and then after alignment of the. knuckle member IS with the pusher member [6, swings about the axis of the pins 11.

However, the arc ab crosses the compound are c--d-e at the point X. At this point in the motion of the parts, the edge 29 of theopening 28 engages the periphery of the roller, and thereafter the roller is constrained to move along are This arc, as clearly shown, constantly approaches the axis of the pins I! which is also the axis along whichthe pusher member is constrainedto move. The radial distance from this fixed axis'to' the periphery of the roller thus decreases, and inasmuch as the lever 23 is inclined with relation to a plane normal to the said fixed axisof the pins 11, it follows that the pusher memberisv propelled laterally in a direction to push thepintle bar to its closed post engaging position.

As represented by the illustration shown in construction lines in Figure 4, the differential in the radial distance from the fixed axis of the pins IT to the periphery of the roller 30 accelerates asthe cover approaches its closed position. To

offset this acceleration and restrict the developed lateral motion to the distance desired is the functionof the inclination of the edge 29.

As shown, this inclination is such that as the lever 23 is swung about its pivot 25 during closure of the cover, the fixed point on the cover represented by the then engagement of the roller periphery with the edge 29 moves continuously :along which the pusher member is constrained to move and the axis of the hinge connection between the cover and the back.

The torsion'spring 2| which, as hereinbefore noted, tends to swing the knuckle member l9 into planar alignment with the block of the pusher member, is suificiently strong to offset the tendency of the lever 23 to push the pusher member about the axis of its pins I1 during closure of the cover and to insure translation of any motion imparted to the lever during the initial closing motion of the cover into proper sliding movement of the pintle.

It is to be observed, however, that the point at which closing movement of the cover begins to take efiect on the lever does not occur until the cover has been swung to a position at which the knuckle member is almost in planar alignmentwith the block of the pusher member.

In the embodiment of the invention so far described the motion of the pusher member is im-' plate 24 and the specific relationship-of the lever 23 thereto, this form of the invention is like that previously described. 7

In practice, the back as well as the covers are .completely covered by a suitable binding which has been omitted inthe drawings for the sake of clarity.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it'will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention provides a smooth acting positively driven mechanism for closing the pintle bar of a record book type loose leaf binder,

and that because of itspermanent connection between the cover actuated means and the pintle bar, misalignment and consequent difiiculties during closure of the binder are precluded.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a binder of the character described including, a back, a cover hinged to the back, and binder posts adapted to passthrough a body of leaves: means for detachably connecting the ends of the binder posts with the back including a pintle bar; means for actuating the pintle bar to detach the binder post ends from the back; and means for actuating the pintlebar to closed post engaging position upon closure of the cover comprising, a lever slidably and pivotally connected with the cover; means for connecting the lever with the pintle bar and constraining the inner end of the lever to a sliding motion parallel to the sliding motion of the pintle bar; and means on the cover engageable with a part on the lever for effecting a sliding motion of said inner end of the lever in-a direction to close the pintle bar.

2. In a binder of the character described including, a back, a cover hinged thereto, and a binder post: means for detachably connecting the binder post with the back including a1ongitudinally slidable pintle bar; and means for sliding the pintle bar to its closed post engaging position upon closure of the cover comprising a pusher constrained to sliding motion and ,engageable with the pintle bar to move the same to its closed post engaging position; and a lever con,-

- nected with the pusher and the cover and operable by the cover during closing motion thereof to actuate the pusher.

3. In a binder of the character described including, a back, a cover hinged thereto,"and a binder post: a pintle bar slidably carried by the back and having a pintle to pass through an opening in the end of the binder post for detachably connecting the binder post with the back; the axis of said hinged connection between the cover and back and the axis of the pintle being space-d apart; and means-for pushing the pintle 'bar to its closed position upon closure of the cover comprising, a linkage having one end constrained to a sliding motion parallel to the pintle axis and connected at said end with the pintle bar and having its other end engageable with an abutment on the cover, said abutment swinging in an are which approaches the axis of the pintle during closure of the cover so that the distance between the abutment and the axis of the pintle decreases, and said linkage being so positioned that its motion produced by the approach of the abutment towards the pintle axis results in sliding motion of the pintle bar to closed position.

4. In a binder of the character described including, a back, a cover hinged thereto, and a binder post: a pintle bar slidably carried by the back and having a pintle to pass through the connecting thelsame withztheflback; ,a member that of the pintle and engageable with the pintle bar to push the same to its closed position; a lever pivotally connected with said member; means slidably-and pivotally mountin'gsaid lever on the cover; and an abutment: on the cover engageable with a .part on the lever duringlclosure of the cover to move the lever. in a direction to cause said pusher *member to 'slide along its axis of motion vto execute a pintle bar closing movement. I v

.5. In .a binder of the character described in cluding, a back, a cover hinged thereto, and a binder post: a pintle bar slidably carried by the Ibackand having-a pintle to pass through one end of the binder post to detachably connect the same with the back; the'axis of the hinge connection between the cover and back and the axis of the pintle being spaced apart so thata fixed point on the cover swings in an are which ative connection with the pintle bar to utilize the decreasing distance between a fixed point on the cover and the pintle axisfor effecting closing motion on the part of the pintle bar.

6. In a binder of the character described including, a back, a cover hinged thereto, and a .binder post: a pintle bar slidably carried by the back and having a pintle to pass through one end of the binder post to detachably connect the same with the back; the axis of the hinge connection between the cover and back and the axis of the pintle being spaced apart so that a fixed point on the cover swings in an'arc which'approaches the-axis of the pintle during closure of the cover; a pusher member constrained to move along the axis of the-pintle and operable on the pintle bar to push the .same to closed position; va'fixed abutment on the cover; and a lever-carried by the cover and connected with said pusher member engageable by said fixed abutment during its approach toward the axis of the pintle upon closure'of the cover for moving the pusher member in a direction to close the pintle bar. I

7."In a binder-of the character described including, a back, .a cover hinged thereto, and a binder post: a pintle bar slidablycarried by the back and having a pintle to pass throughone end of the binder post to "detachably connect the same with the back; theaxis of the hinge connection between the cover and back and the axis of the pintle being spaced apart so that a fixed constrained to move .along .an .axis parallel to by the cover having an opening therein, one edge of which forms a fixedabutment; a lever pivotally connected at one end with said pusher member and pivotally and slidably connected at its other end with the plate; and a part on the lever engageable by said fixed abutment so that during closure of the cover said lever is moved in a direction to cause the pusher member to close the pintle bar.

8. In a binder including a back, a cover hinged thereto, and a binder post: a pintle bar slidably a member constrained to move along an axis parallel to the sliding motion of the pintle bar and spaced from the axis of the hinge connection between the cover and back so that a fixedpoint on the cover swings in an arc which approaches said axis to which the motion of said member is constrained; a connection between said member and pintle bar whereby motion of said member in one direction closes the pintle bar; an abutment on the cover; and a leverpivotally connected at one end with said member and engageable by said abutment on the cover at a distance from its pivotal connection with said member, said lever being inclined with respect to a line drawn along the shortest distance between said abutment and said fixed axis so that upon closure of the cover the lever is swung in a direction to actuate said member in a pintle bar closing motion.

9. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a back; a cover hinged to the back; a binder post; a pintle bar slidably carried by the I back and detachably connected with the binder post; a member constrained to move along a fixed axis parallel to the sliding motion of the pintle bar and operable upon motion in one direction to push the pintle bar to a closed post engaging position; a plate carried by the cover having an opening therein, one edge of which forms an abutment, said fixed axis along which said member is constrained to move and the axis of the hinge connection between the cover and back being spaced apart and so related that the fixed abutment on the cover swings in an are which approaches said fixed axis during closure of the cover; and a member constrained to move in a plane parallel to said cover carried plate and connected with said first named member and engageable bythe fixed abutment to move said first named member in a pintle bar closing motion during closure of the cover by virtue of the approach of said fixed abutment toward said fixed axis during closure of the cover.

10. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a back; a cover hinged to the back; a binder post; a pintle bar slidably carriedby the back and detachably connected with the binder post; a member constrained to move along a fixed axis parallel to the sliding motion of the pintle bar and operable upon motion in one direction to push the pintle bar to a closed post engaging position; a plate carried by the cover having an opening therein, one'edge of which forms an abutment, said fixed'axis along which said member is constrained to move and the axis of the hinge connection between the cover and back being spaced apart and so related that the fixed abutment on the cover swings in an are which approaches said'fixed axis during closure of the cover; a lever pivotally connected at one end with said .memberrand having its other end portion lying fiat against the cover carried plate; means pivotally and slidably connecting said other end portion of the lever with the cover carried plate and holding the lever in an inclined position so that motion of the lever resulting from a force actingrthereon in a'plane normal to said fixed axis is translated into sliding motion of said member along said fixed axis; and means on the lever engageable with the fixed cover carried abutment to apply such force to the lever during closure of the cover.

'11. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a back member; a cover member hinged to the back member; a binder post; a pintle bar slidably carried by the back member and engageable with the binder post for detachably connecting the binder post with the hingedly connected members; a lever carried by the cover member; means for connecting the lever with the pintle bar and constraining the inner end of the lever to a sliding motion parallel with the sliding motion of the pintle bar; and means on the cover member engageable with a part on the lever for effecting sliding motion of the inner end of the lever in a direction to move the pintle bar into post engaging position.

12. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a back member; a cover member hinged to the back member; a plurality of posts; a pintle bar carried by one of said members and slidable to and from engagement with said posts; an actuator movably mounted on said member which carries the pintle bar and operable to slide the pintle bar into post engaging position; and cooperating elements carried by said back member and cover member for moving the actuator during closure of the cover to slide the pintle bar into post engaging position.

13. In a loose leaf binder of the character described: a back member; a cover member hinged to the back member; a binder post; a pintle bar slidably carried by one of said members and engageable with the binder post for detachably connected members; a lever connected With the cover member; means for connecting the lever with the pintle bar so that sliding motion may be imparted to the pintle bar by the lever; and means on the cover member engageable with a part on the lever for effecting motion of the lever in a direction necessary to slide the pintle bar into post engaging position as the cover member is swung toward closed position on its hinged connection with the back member.

ADOLPH G. LOTTER.

necting the binder post with the hingedly con- 

